Premier Scott Moe toured several key Humboldt agencies and organizations during a visit on Friday August 16th. Along with him was Deputy Premier and Humboldt-Watrous MLA Donna Harpauer, and Humboldt-Watrous Sask Party nominee Raquel Hilbert.
The trio's visits allowed them an inside look at Humboldt's recent growth and its potential for additional expansion with the BHP Jansen mine project, alongside other business and industry developments.
The premier and his group started their day off at PAMI, the key agricultural engineering think tank critical to research and development for many prairie ag-industry partners.
They then made their way to Partners Family Services and the newly established Homebase: For Youth By Youth in its new location at the corner of Main St. and 3rd Ave. The premier and the attending group marvelled at the design and the refurbishment of the former SLGA liquor store.
Executive director Haley Kennedy talked about the renovations and the integrated service model that drove many of the design decisions. The newly implemented Integrated Youth Services program, dubbed Homebase after multiple youth driven branding sessions, includes innovations such as in-house integrated medical and social services in a model that is unique to rural Saskatchewan.
Following the tour Premier Moe commented on the facility, the innovation, and the potential for utilizing it as a model for rural Saskatchewan service provision.
“I had some questions about how can that breadth of service be replicated in other areas of the province potential,” Moe said, “I also had the opportunity to see, in addition to the so-very important service that is offered, what they have done with their building – their new location. It’s a beautiful and functional location to offer the services in a warm, safe and effective environment.”
Moe concluded that portion of the visit with sincere thanks for the work of the Partners and IYS team and his admiration for the work done on the facility.
Next, the visitors made their way to Carlton Trail College to meet with staff and board members for an update on their work.
Following a quick introduction and orientation to the College, it was off to their trades training facility on 4th Ave. The repurposed building houses several industrial training programs including the welding certificate program and the electrical applied certificate programs. Both these training avenues serve as entry points to apprenticeship training through the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Commission or to direct employment opportunities.
College CEO Amy Yeager commented on the commission of the College to develop welding and other industry training to support BHP's employment plans for its Jansen mine site over the next few years. This is in addition to programming developed by the College for other regional industry partners. It means that more seats will be needed in any areas such as welding and pre-employment training. In fact, plans are in the works for an expansion of the trades training facility, with the college having recently secured additional lease space from CN. The building's expansion will allow for additional welding stations, equipment, and dedicated workspace for other trades programs, as well as potential use for other regional partners.
The trades training through Carlton Trail College is in addition to a wide variety of programs, including paramedic and nursing programs that will be key to Saskatchewan's continued growth, the premier noted.
“This is very relevant to other areas of Saskatchewan and Canada - expanding the training of our medical health professionals by expanding that into our rural communities, even some of our remote communities through northern Saskatchewan. Really one of the planks, in addition to recruitment and retention, is to train our children, the next generation, to be medical health professionals in our healthcare system. So, it's relevant here in Humboldt and to the surrounding area, being a growing area, but it's also relevant to many other communities.”
As for trades training, Moe said that his government remains committed to those endeavours that support growth in rural areas. Mining expansion needs to come with training prospects for people to access those opportunities.
“Potash actually is not new to the Humboldt area, but it's expanding, and I think we're going to see continued expansion into the future, and that's why you're seeing a government look at working with our regional colleges to ensure that our youth, that next generation, has the opportunity to access the training programs that to provide them great employment opportunities. It’s the opportunity to stay in a community where they were raised. That's the focus of this government. I think that's the focus of each of us as parents.”
The Premier also reviewed the College’s outreach with campuses in Wynyard, Watrous, Punnichy as well as Humboldt. He also heard about the multiple trade training sites in Punnichy that support Indigenous partnerships.
Wrapping up their time in Humboldt, the group paid a visit to the Humboldt Fire Department to find out about the city’s protective services. Then it was off to Lanigan for a tour of the new school whose construction is in progress.